Lebanon

Pro-Assad Syrians defiant over Israeli attack

Jan. 31 - Syrians loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are defiant in the face of a reported Israeli air attack on a military research center near the Syrian capital. Mana Rabiee reports.

TRANSCRIPT +

Syrians in Damascus stand by their President one day after reports of an Israeli attack on a military research center near the Syrian capital.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ALI NAGHNOUF, A PHOTOGRAPHER, SAYING
"Their rockets and shells will not scare us and we will continue to defend Syria and we will continue to live because they are the ones who own the culture of death."
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TAIF ALI, SYRIAN WOMAN, SAYING:
"We trust our leadership and [the] President and we have faith that they have all the needed wisdom, diplomacy and political experience to respond to this aggression without weapons or war."
Sources say Israeli planes hit a weapons convoy Wednesday that was heading from Syria to Lebanon, apparently destined for Assad's ally Hezbollah.
Civilians on both sides of this still unclear conflict worry tensions may escalate.
In Israel's West Bank, residents line up at a distribution center for gas masks -- security against possible chemical weapons attacks.
In Damascas, Syrians seem weary to enter a new conflict while their civil war rages on.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RAKAN QABAQIBI, A STUDENT
"Now they (Israelis) are trying to impose a war at the same time when we are having an internal one. I think that Syrian response will not be immediate and we will not announce a war against Israel until we finish the internal war. Then they will be a good response."
Those words were echoed Thursday, when a Syrian government spokesman warned of a possible "surprise" response to Israel's attack.

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